Wilbereorce beecher hammoito



W. B. HAMMOND.

COMBINED HEATING AND SPBINKLER SYSTEM.-

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, ,1.919.

1,316,541, ImmasepI, 16,1919.`

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vvimnnroncn Benen-ra HAMMOND, or aUB-Unnnarn, MASSACHUSETTS.

COMBINED HEATING AND SPRINKLER SYSTEM.

Specification of VLetters*Patent Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

Application led March 7, 1919. Serial No. 281,286.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I,`Wi1,BERroncn Bnncnnn HAMMOND, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Auburndale, in the' county of Middlesex andState of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Combined Heating and Sprinkler Systems; and I doV herebydeclarethe following'V to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhichitappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to combined heating and sprinkler-systems inwhich a circulation of hot water may be `maintained through thedistributing pipes of an auto-4 matic sprinkler system.

The primary object ofthe invention is `to provide improved means :torpreventing the communicationof heat from the circulating water to thesprinkler heads so that a temperature which is effective for heatingpurposes may be maintained in the circulation pipe without danger ofraising the temperature at the sprinkler heads beyond a safe point Tothis end the Apresent invention "contemplates connecting the sprinklerheads with the circulation Vpipe by means of offset portions each ofwhich is provided with means inthe natureof a check valve permittingwater to enter the oii'set but obstructing vits return into thecirculation pipe, and also permitting a substantially unobstructeddischarge of water through the otl'set upon the release of the sprinklerhead. It is preferred to further insure against circulation of water inthe oifset by confining therein, `between the valve and the sprinklerhead, a

permeable mass of material, such as flaky `The inventionfurtherjconsists in certain novel features of construction andarrangement of parts tending to produce amore compact and better lookingsystem, and which will behereinafter described and deined in theappended claims. y y

The invention will be readily understood from an inspection of theaccompanying drawing illustrating the preferredfeinbodiment of theinvention and the following detailed description ofthe `constructiontherein shown. l

In the drawing,Figure 1 is 'a view in side elevation of' a portion:l ofa combined heating and sprinkler system 5 Fig. 2 is a detail view 1nvertical longitudinal section of one o f the sprinkler offsets; and Fig.3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig; '2.

As shown in the drawing a portion of the pipe through which the hotwater circulates and which also serves to supply the sprinkler heads isindicated at` 5 and consists of substantially horizontal sections thatare cou.-

-valv'es with which the sprinkler offsets are `provided severallyconsist of a ball 10 which is `arranged* to be seated normally on avalve seat 11 that is formed in the T 6, surrounding the opening whichaiords communication between theV circulation pipe and the oiiset; Inorder to prevent conduction of heat through thevalve the 'ball 10consists of a hollow shell which isfilled with asbestos or other non'-conducting material. The function of the check valve is to permit waterfrom the circulation pipe t0 enter the `offsets and to obstruct itsreturn into the circulation pipe and thus to prevent circulation of thewater within the offsets.

`As an additional means for insuring that no circulation of water shalltake place in the oifsets, `a quantity of flaky graphite, sand, or othergranular material is introduced into each of the offsets after the ballhas been positioned on the valve seat. The water which is permitted toenter the oit'- sets, thoroughly permeatesthemass of material containedtherein, producing a mix- 100 ture which indicated at 12, in Fig. 2, and

which isof suiiicient density to resist Vrelative motion of itsparticles and thereby prevent Vcirculation within the offsets but whichis `at the same time fluid'enough so that it will 105 'not stick intheoii'sets when the sprinkler headsare released, but will be easily andquickly forced therethrough and discharged through the sprinkler heads.

Uponi'elease of a sprinkler'head. the mix- 110 ture of water and thegranular material will be quickly and easily forced through the offsetby the pressure of the water in the system, until the mixture is alldischarged from the sprinkler head, and the ball will be carried upthrough the offset and deposited in a pocket 13 which is formed in thecoupling member 8 opposite the end which is connected with the offset.The curve of each offset is of sufliciently long radius to insure thatneither the mixture nor the ball will stick in the offset. In order toprevent the escape of the ball through the open sprinkler head theinterior surface of the coupling member 8 is formed with a plurality oflongitudinal ribs 14, as shown in Fig. 3, which closely confine the ball,and guide it into the pocket 13. With the ball. thus lodged in thepocket 18, the escape of the water is unobstructed. The ball'may bereplaced on the valve seat and the offset refilled with flaky orgranular material by removing a plug 15, which normally closes anopening in the coupling member 8 opposite the upper end of the Offset.

Heretofore offsets of considerable hori-4 zontal length have necessarilybeen employed, in order to prevent communication of heat to thesprinkler heads by circulation of the heated water in the offsets, andalso in order that trapped gases may accumu- -late in the offsets insuiiicient quantity to `shorter osets and accordingly there is lessdanger of the offsets becoming broken off or injured and the generalappearance 'of the system is improved.

Any suitable form of check valve which will open upon the release of thesprinkler head so as not to obstruct the How of water through theoffset, may be used in place of the ball check valve illustrated. .1 lVVarious kinds of granular or llocculent material may be utilized in theoffsets, it bea ingessential only that the material used will not cake'or harden from heat and will fill the offset in such a manner that thewater .will readily percolate through the mass to render it `capable ofbeing easily discharged from the offset upon the release of thesprinkler head. The use of flaky graphite how- `ever is' preferredbecause of its low friction qualities which permit it to be easily and;

quickly forced through the offset. It should be understood, moreover,that the use of any such n'iaterial in the offsets is not consideredessential to the broader features of the in vention, inasmuch as it maybe found that sufficiently good results will be obtained by the use ofcheck valves alone. It is also ,pointed out that the present inventionis not tem having, in combination, a pipe for the'` circulation ofheating water, sprinkler offsets branching from said ipe, sprinklerheads connected with the o sets, and means within the osets for normallypreventing circulation of water therein and adapted to permit asubstantially unobstructed discharge of water when the sprinkler headsare released.

2. A combined heating and sprinkler system having, in combination, apipe for the circulation of heating water, a plurality of sprinkleroffsets branching from said pipe, sprinkler heads Connected with theoffsets, and means wit-hin the offsets for preventing circulation ofwater therein and adapted to be expelled from the offsets upon therelease of the sprinkler heads.

3. A combined heating and. sprinkler system having, in combination, apipe for the circulation of heating water, a plurality of sprinkleroffsets branching from said pipe, sprinkler heads connected with theoffsets, and a permeable mass of material normally contained in eachoffset for preventing circulation of water therein.

4. A combined heating and sprinkler system having, in combination, apipe for the circulation of heating water, a plurality of sprinkleroffsets branching from said pipe, a sprinkler head connected with eachoffset, a mass of granular substance normally confined in each oset toprevent circulation of water therein and adapted to be discharged withthe water upon the release of the sprinkler head connected therewith,and means for preventing said granular material from entering thecirculation pipe and for permitting the entrance of water from thecirculation pipe into the offset.

5. A combined heating and sprinkler system having, in combination, apipe for the circulation of heating water, a plurality of sprinkleroisets branching-from said pipe, a sprinkler head connected with eachoffset, and a device in the offset between the sprinkler head andcirculation pipe normally closing the offset and constructed andarranged tol open communatn between the circulation pipe and the offsetfor the substantially unobstructed flow of water when the sprinkler headopens.

6. A combined heating and sprinkler system having, in combination, apipe for the circulation of heating Water, a plurality of sprinklerosets branching from said pipe, a sprinkler head connected with eachoffset, and a normally closed check Valve in the offset spaced from thesprinkler head to secure a dead column of Water between the valve andthe sprinkler head and adapted to open toward the sprinkler head Whensaid head opens to permit a substantially unobstructed flow of Waterfrom the circulation pipe through the head. e

7 A combined heating and sprinkler system having, in combination, a pipefor the circulation of heating Water, a plurality of sprinkler osetsbranching from said pipe,

WILBERF ORGE BEECHER HAMMOND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

